Mail-bag fastener.



Patented Aug. 22', I899.

P. L. SCHMITT.

MAIL BAG FASTENER.

Application filed June 8, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l. 1

(No Model.)

No. 63l .532. Patented Aug. 22. I899- P. L. SCHMITT.

MAIL BAG FASTENER.

Apph t fildJun 8 1899) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modal.)

' UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

PHILLIP L. SCIIMITT, OF WIOHITA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RODOLPH HATFIELD.

1 MAIL-BAG FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,532, dated August 22, 1899.

Application filed June 8 1899. $erial No. 719,778. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILLIP L. ScHMIT'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Mail-Bag Fasteners and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to mail-bag fasteners; and it relates particularly to that class thereof wherein a sliding bar is adapted to engage with metallic plates secured to the mail bag or sack on each side of its mouth to thereby close the latter, said bar itself being adapted to be securely held in its locking position by suitable means.

Among the objects in View is to provide a mail-bag fastener wherein a rigid metallic locking-slide having inwardly-turned flanges is adapted to engage with outwardly-turned flanges upon a series of metallic plates secured upon each side of the mouth of the bag, said slide having a flared end, whereby it will when sliding into place cause the flanges of the plates to be readily and surely engaged by the flanges on the slide.

A further object is to provide the slide with a closed end formed by bending down the metal of the slide, whereby the stop or abutment thus formed is adapted to strike against the end plates on the bag and thus limit the inward movement of the slide, and the opposite end of the slide is provided with a loop or eye adapted when the slide is in proper locking position to project beyond the end of the bag and to be engaged by a securing means, as a spring-catch or a hasp and padlook.

A further object is to provide a fastener which is of very simple and inexpensive construction and which will quickly and infalli-' bly fasten together the flaps or ends of a mailbag at its mouth to prevent surreptitious abstraction of the contents.

With the various objects in view the invention consists in the. novel Loonstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the thereby. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of themetallic plates onthe bag.

In carrying out my invention I provide the mail bag or sack 1 at each side of its opening or mouth with a series of metallic plates 2.

These plates may of course vary in number and size, and their shape maybe somewhat varied, it being essentiahhowever, that each of said plates be provided with an outwardly -or laterally extending flange 3, which flange when the plates are secured, as by riveting or otherwise, to themail-bag upon the inner side of the opening or mouth will extend lat erally over the upper edge of the bag and somewhat above the latter, whereby to form a guideway 4 for a purpose presently apparent. Each of the plates 2 has the ends of its flange rounded off, as at 5, whereby said ends will offer no obstruction to the free sliding movements of the locking-slide. At one of its vertical edges the mail-bag is provided with a plate 6, having a T-shaped lug or projection 7, the head or cross-bar 8 of which extends transversely of the bag, as in Fig. 2, and which bar 8 is also adapted to be engaged by the locking-slide to guide it into proper position to engage the'plates 2.

-9 indicates the locking-slide which I employ, the same being. constructed of a rigid .piece of metal having downwardly-bent sides 10 and inwardly-turned flanges 11, which latter are adapted to engage beneath the flanges 3 of the plates 2 within the guideways on each side of the mouth of the bag. At one end the slide is enlarged or flared, as at 12, to adapt said end to cause the plates 2 .to be closed snugly together when the slide is being slid along the said plates, and thus offer no obstruetion to the said sliding movements. This is an important feature of my fastener, as it is necessary where quick locking of the bag is desirable that there be no hindrance to the free sliding movement of the slide. At its flared end the slide is provided with an apertured extension 13, which when the slide is in its full locking position projects beyond the edge of the bag to adapt it to be engaged by any suitable securing means. The latter may be varied; but I preferably employ a hasp 14, secured to the bag and adapted to engage over the extension 13 of the slide, and a padlock or other suitable lock may be then used to lock the parts together. I preferably construct the hasp to serve as a label-holder, whereby a label, as 15, containing the name of the point of destination may be readily slipped into position on the hasp or detached therefrom when desired. I may employ a suitable spring catch or look, as indicated at 16, secured to the hasp 14 and adapted to engage with the aperture or eye in the end of the slide. The opposite end of the slide is closed, formed by bending down the metal, as at 16, forming a stop or abutment which is adapted to strike against the cross-bar 8, and thus limit the inward movement of the slide.

Secured to the side or sides of the bag near its upper end is a leather loop or loops 17, whereby the bag may be hung upon the hooks of the mail-racks in mail-cars or post-oflices, and so hold the bags in position for filling and fastening.

lVhatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a mail-bag, of a series of metallic plates secured to the sides thereof at the mouth or opening, each of said plates having a laterally-extending flange overlapping the upper end of the bag and forming a guideway between the flange and said end and the ends of said flanges being rounded off, a metallic locking-slide having inwardly-extendin g flanges adapted to engage beneath the flanges of the metallic plates and one end of said slide being flared, an apertured extension on the slide projecting beyond the flared end thereof, a downwardly thereof at the mouth or opening, each of said plates having a laterallyextending flange overlapping the upper end of the bag and forming a guideway between the flange and said end, the metallic locking-slide having downwardly and inwardly extending flanges adapted to engage within the guideways beneath the flanges of the metallic plates and having an apertured extension beyond the inner end of the slide, a hasp hinged to one end of the bag and adapted to engage over the said extension and also adapted to receive a label, and a spring-lock carried by the hasp and adapted to engage the aperture in the extension when the slide is in locking position.

8. The combination with a mail-bag, of a series of metallic plates secured to the sides thereof at the mouth or opening, each of said plates having a laterally-extending flange, a metallic locking-slide having inwardly-proj ectin g flanges adapted to engage beneath the flanges of said metallic plates, a plate secured to the bag and having a T-head in line with the metallic plates and adapted to be engaged by the flanges of the locking-slide, and means to engage and secure the slide when in locking position, as set forth.

In witness whereof I sign my name in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

PHILLIP L. SCIIMITT.

In presence of- 0. II. BENTLEY, HARRY FRENCH. 

